Entergy Corporation (ETR) vs The Southern Company (SO)
A side-by-side comparison of Entergy Corporation and The Southern Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of August 23, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
ETR
Entergy Corporation
$104.62UtilitiesAt close: Aug 21, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
SO
The Southern Company
$88.94UtilitiesAt close: Aug 21, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — ETR vs SO
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yETR +290.5% (+14.6%/yr)SO +162.6% (+10.1%/yr)ETR compounded faster over this window
ETR SO
ETR vs SO: by the numbers
- •SO is the larger company ($102.31B vs $48.82B market cap).
- •SO trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (21.48 vs 26.83 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •SO converts more revenue to profit (15.43% vs 13.48% net margin).
- •SO grew revenue faster over the past five years (6.68% vs 4.27% CAGR).
- •SO pays the higher dividend yield (3.37% vs 2.41%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 26.83 | 21.48 |
| Forward P/E | 23.79 | 19.38 |
| P/S ratio | 3.62 | 3.36 |
| P/B ratio | 2.64 | 2.56 |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.17 | 13.16 |
| FCF yield | N/A | 2.54% |
Profitability
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 29.91% | 29.81% |
| Operating margin | 22.22% | 24.19% |
| Net margin | 13.48% | 15.43% |
| ROE | 9.85% | 11.77% |
| ROIC | 3.24% | 4.15% |
Dividends
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.41% | 3.37% |
| Payout ratio | 63.32% | 76.14% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ETR | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.27% | 6.68% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 2.78% | 5.96% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -28.10% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 16.80% | 9.64% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, ETR or SO?
- SO has the lower trailing P/E: ETR trades at 26.83 and SO at 21.48. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, ETR or SO?
- Over the past five years, SO grew revenue faster — ETR at a 4.27% CAGR versus SO at 6.68%.
- Does ETR or SO pay a bigger dividend?
- ETR yields 2.41% and SO yields 3.37% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ETR or SO more profitable?
- SO runs the higher net margin — ETR at 13.48% versus SO at 15.43%.
- How have ETR and SO total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, ETR delivered 14.59% and SO delivered 9.94% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Entergy P/E ratioSouthern P/E ratioEntergy dividend yieldSouthern dividend yieldEntergy ROESouthern ROEEntergy operating marginSouthern operating marginEntergy revenue growthSouthern revenue growthEntergy free cash flowSouthern free cash flow
Entergy & Southern appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified August 23, 2026.